The perfect place for a relaxing day with the family! I've been coming to Paradise Canyon since I was 5 years old, and although I hadn't visited since 2019, I was able to bring my family today. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. This place truly lives up to its name. Paradise Canyon is privately owned, family-oriented, and offers something for everyone. There are shallow areas where kids can safely swim and play, as well as deeper sections for adults who want to swim or practice their strokes. The grounds are well maintained, the restrooms are clean, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. It's the kind of place where you can spend the entire day relaxing and making memories with your family. I would recommend Paradise Canyon again and again. It's a true Texas gem. read more

Came for the 4th of July in the morning - the young staff were so sweet and kind and helped us out when I didn't make the proper reservations. It was crowded but still a great time, we expected that. I had an encounter with one of the older staff, Laura - she was rude, condescending and incredibly impatient with my responses. Zero customer service skills, highly encourage the owners to train her up in how to speak to customers. I understand it was a busy day, but she seemed to be the only one who was in a horrible mood. If you can't control your emotions on the busiest days, then customer service based careers should not be your job. She seemed upset when I said we would only spend a few hours there, she rolled her eyes at me (I have 3 small children). She seemed upset that I had to move my car to a better parking spot even tho SHE asked me to and I happily obliged. She seemed annoyed that someone parked me in and I asked if she could direct me to their table so that I could ask them to let me out and then proceeded to speak to me like I don't know how to drive a vehicle. All around very rude. read more

I love this place. Used to come here as a kid all the time. Water levels are high, it's clear, and refreshing. Lots of spots for shade, but also spots if you need to get some color. Staff was genuine, and catered to anything we needed. If you need a spot for the summer, this is the place! read more

Excellent customer service! Facility is over the top genuine, amazing experience and lovely stay accommodations. Paul and Laura are both successful at knowing what is beautiful and wonderful because their heart is in the entire place. Every piece that you will see of the venue is hand picked, placed and from the heart. Everyone who visits this enchanted place will fall in love. We will be back! Thank you for an unforgettable experience! read more

See all

This is a hidden gem, even though they charge $40 p/car to get in and $15 to reserve a spot it was worth it. They have a bbq food truck, a playground, grills, you can rent kayaks, the restrooms were very clean and with AC, they also have showers. Very family friendly, we loved this spot! read more

It's a shame that they are resorting to scamming people instead of being honest and shifting the dynamic of the park. Just to be clear, THERE IS NO WATER! It's still a gorgeous place to explore, but I wish they would have just been real instead of hiding behind a vague description that states "the water levels may not be accurate to the photos". There is no water to level lol, and the water that remains is definitely not safe to swim in. We had to go to new braunfels to save some of my partners birthday. read more

We continue exploring our new hometown and found this place through a Facebook ad. We called a week ahead of Memorial Day and pleased to find reservations were still available. We reserved table 449 and the location is ideal. It has a grill, is under a tree, and at the water's edge. We had a great time while there. The check-in process is painless and they also supply you with a trash bag for you area. There are plenty of people to guide you to your spot, and parking is right in front of your spot if you get there early enough. I didn't realize the voltage on my car wasn't high enough to work the air compressor, but was pleasantly surprised to find they had air on site to fill our 3 floats. The day was fantastic we really did enjoy ourselves as a family of 4. The only reason it's not 5 stars is they don't allow music. It's a bummer because I love music and it's part of the fun at the beach, river, or lake. I'm not sure why they don't allow music, maybe consider no music with profanity, or no music over a certain volume. It was the only thing missing from the day. read more

See all

No water for you to swim in. Don't make the drive out there. We made reservations and drove out to see there was no water what's worse is that we didn't stay and weren't given a refund but a credit for a year. I don't think they will have water within a year. Save your time & money go else where. read more

See all

very disappointed, when i got there everything seemed to be fine till driving up ahead when i saw that the river was dried up. It was very upsetting and i think they should update us on the water conditions or in the entrance at paradise canyon before paying or singing any paper work. read more

Paradise Canyon - river with barely any water to swim in, can't even go fishing - Parks Near Me - Rio Medina, Texas

See all

I'm so upset I'm just now aware about Paradise Canyon. Rest assured Paradise Canyon isn't the newest show on Bravo! Rather, it's a great day or weekend getaway that's a short drive away from San Antonio. Hit 1604 & Culebra and drive all the way down and you'll see the marks for Paradise Canyon. Entry is $35 per vehicle so if you have access to a truck or SUV then definitely go this route. There are a few rules to oblige by which are implemented to make everyone's visit enjoyable. A few include... -no loud music blasting from the car or a large speaker (personal ones were ok as long as only your group could hear it) -no glass -no moving PC tables or grills -throw away your trash at the designated dumpsters when you head out We were able to bring in food, coolers, tubes, alchol/non-alcohol beverages, a canopy, and pretty much anything needed to make our trip fun. I even saw a few folks pay a fee to stay overnight, as well as, rent out one of their cabins. If you forget any amenities or food they have two mini stores on-site and they sell ice! The picnic space was surreal and there were plenty of spots off the river. For those of y'all who have a fishing license you can even fish in designated areas. It is a river so please keep in mind it is cold but during the Texas heat you'll be refreshed and won't even complain (especially with a few drinks in ya). Absolutely loved this spot and will be back sooner than later! THE ENTRY IS CASH ONLY SO HEADS UP ON THAT read more

Very pretty and about 30 minutes away from Alamo Ranch. The water is freezing like Frio River. Half of the area is family friendly to little ones (like beach access) and the end of the river near the dam is deep with rough slimey boulders (not recommended for elderly or toddlers) the boulders were super slippery and you need to climb down on steep rocks. The tables are located at the top, so it wasn't a great idea to keep climbing in and out to get snacks. We arrived around noon on Wednesday and the place was almost full, so we ended up near the dam (towards the back) . It was hard walking on the slippery rocks while trying to balance with a toddler (that's with us wearing water shoes). My sister used the restrooms, she said they were clean but no AC. There's also portable potties if you don't want to drive to the restrooms ( 2 locations). The cost is a bit steep compared to others. $40 a carload of only 5 people, hours 10am to 6pm. Took pictures before we left at 5pm, the majority left around 4pm (very cloudy and windy, looked like it was going to rain). read more

See all

Cool waters to swim in with shaded picnic tables nearby. But also has those secluded areas where you hear nothing but moving water and nature, perfect for immersing your body in the river and waiting for the sun to set. read more

See all

Lots of fun! The water is great-when there's ample water! I'm rating this a four star based on two previous visits here. If I were rating only my most recent visit-it would come in at a solid three star. You might want to call in in advance before visiting and check on the water levels. I've been here several times previously when the water was great. Being spring fed, the water usually remains at a fairly consistent level. However, the recent drought this past summer has nearly all but completely dried up the area, with the exception of a lonely hole in the main pool area of the canyon, near the park entrance. Apparently, in that section of the canyon, the water is supposedly about twenty feet-enough water to still support some fishing. We saw a few fish jumping, and also several turtles along the banks during our afternoon swim. We saw one dude fishing on the dock, but not sure if he was having any luck. Hopefully, the recent rains will help replenish the springs, refilling the canyon again. The owner/manager was most gracious and allowed us to use a large raft that had been left behind by others. He also cut us a bit of a sprout on the admission fee due to the fact we had arrived only about two hours before closing time. I've now been to this park three times over the past two years. The previous two times were very enjoyable. However, a bit of an annoyance each time was that the bathroom/shower facilities adjacent the campground area(nearest the dam) have been continuously problematic, closed or else out of order, necessitating a bit of a walk back up to the main facilities; which by the way could definitely benefit from a more thorough cleaning. One other little thing patrons should be made aware of: if you like to take a shower after swimming to wash off river crud, mud, or other unsavory things, you had better bring along some quarter$, as the showers are not free and will only accept coins. We did not have any coins, so I was unable to check and see if the showers worked or not? According to a friend's report, this venue has always been very pricey, and since the recent economic muckraking, I can verify that it is now even more so. During the hot summer months, the canyon can become very crowded, and that's probably because it's one of the few places around where the water is usually always running cold. I will probably visit again, but only when the weather is hot and the water is running both cold and deep. read more

Let's start off with the staff. Anna(the owners Daughter) greeted us the moment that we pulled up immediately offering help with EVERYTHING. Moments later Miss Laura came up to introduce herself also offering help with anything we needed. She took us on a little tour and showed us where everything was for the pavilion we were decorating. I promise you, the pictures do not do justice to how gorgeous this place is. No wedding is without fault and as a coordinator we run into our fair share of bumps in the road. As each bump showed, Miss Laura, Anna, and staff were there to make everything run easier for us. Soon before the ceremony was to begin Red, Miss Laura's husband, came and introduced himself. I already knew who he was as Miss Laura informed me that he was the go-to guy for anything technical. There ended up being more guests than there was seating for and Red came in to the rescue. He made sure we got all the extra tables set up and all the chairs needed. The entire staff came through with help the entire night. The Wedding was absolutely perfect and the wedding party couldn't have been happier. Anna and Mason helped at the end of the night getting everything cleared up before the wedding party went off to bed. I can say that this was the best venue management that i have ever experienced. These people made you feel like family. The venue itself was gorgeous. Very big with lots of space. Well kept and very clean. The restrooms are very spacious and clean. They had dressing rooms and plenty of space to move around. The cabin the wedding party stayed in was huge and gorgeously decorated, full kitchen, multiple bathrooms. This is a great spot with an amazing view. I highly recommend these campgrounds not only as a wedding destination but as a family destination. read more

See all

Truly a hidden gem found outside of San Antonio. Scenery is beautiful. During the Summer this place is a great place to cool off and refresh. One of our favorite things to do is go during the off season when it's more quiet and peaceful. Unfortunately the drought has affected the water levels but it's still an amazing place to go camping or have events. We have been coming here for years and one of the more recent features is an enormous event pavilion which are great for large gatherings. They also offer cabins and the lodge for overnight stays which are great for a weekend getaway! We always have such a fun time at Paradise canyon! The owners are super friendly and hospitable. We are hoping with them that the water levels will return back to normal levels soon! read more

The best place ever! I love the fact no music , no pets , and no glass bottles allowed. It is only you and nature. You can go canoeing, hiking, swimming, tent overnight, tubbing, sun bath, take gorgeous pictures, fishing.... and so much more. We stayed for 2 nights 3 days and I didn't want to leave. Owners are so friendly and ready to help with whatever you want to do. If you don't want to stay overnight, at least come for a day and take a deep breath of the nature God created. Cell phone coverage might not be available and it can be a plus to unplug from online world. Can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Just happened to drive here by chance. Seriously. As long as I've lived in and out of San Antonio and as much driving I like to do on the weekends, I had no clue about this place. Now mind you, when I came across Paradise Canyon I got here about 45 minutes before they were closing. So I have a combination of a short-lived visit and a couple of things I derived from their website on this review. First of all, they charge you to come to this place. Second of all, can you believe the guy who was going to charge me said, "Well, we're about to close but I'll still get ya in if you still wanna pay full price." Uh... are you f*ckin kidding me, dude? Yeah okay. I told him I just wanted to drive through and look and I might be back another day. He was okay with that. The canyon area is really beautiful. I was surprised to even see blue water - even looked fake at times. But people were all in it - swimming, tubing, fishing and messin around. Picnic areas were available as well as a building for restrooms and showers. Now I didn't know that you couldn't bring your pets here. So yeah, you gotta leave the family friend at home unfortunately. =( During this time of year, they're open 7 days a week and close at 7pm throughout the week. Camping is also available but you need to make reservations. read more

They charge $35 for a canyon with barely any water in it, that is compared to years ago. Not worth it for swimming. You can definitely forget kayaking. read more

Beautiful place to relax and camp. Be prepared to not have any phone service and no WiFi for customers. They have new and old showers. The new ones have you have to pay. Outside old ones you don't have too. read more

See all

Complete disrespect from the "staff" who is all completely underage. Not one of them could handle the situation directing cars or keeping a system in place. The 10 year old at the gate felt the need to be rude because he can't handle a pin an paper. The entiled kids that work there are snobby and some, arrogant because they "work here" and? If a 17 year old drives up in a white Dodge 2500 to your picnic area and threatens to kick you out because you laughed at him and made him feel stupid for showing off by speeding down the gravel path where people walk don't worry. He can't kick you out or do anything because if it's a group of young girls he wants to impress. Whoever runs this place needs to get their children in line. people are consuming alcohol, they are swimming, there are hazards there and not one single adult on the property to handle such situations that require one when dealing with people. Why would let children run this place? Because it's cheap labor? Because you want to put children in the forefront of your business and property that allow things to get out of hand? No game warden or deputy to keep order, just kids yelling at you and throwing tantrums when you tell them NO. Or have a question that requires actual intelligence to answer. Worst experience I've ever had here in all my years of going. read more

First off I would love to say how unprofessional it is to not advertise let alone not have the damn courtesy to let customers know that there is no water! I booked online no where on there does it say anything about it literally being a dried ass river. I paid over $100 & I get a call the next day after I booked, after they took my money to let me know that there is no water & they don't do refunds! What a joke!!! they must really be hurting for money that they have the need to take from hard working people without there being a simple WARNING. They take your money just to keep up with their bills but aren't worried about others losing out. Pathetic. All I got was a "rain check" but from previous reviews their hasn't been water for a while. Who wants to go to a river with no water? Never again will I ever come here. Sad because we've had good times here, but if they can't do the right thing as to give a simple refund knowing damn well they should & are in the wrong is even sadder. DO BETTER! read more

I had the privilege of enjoying this getaway on Memorial Day which was towards the back end of staying at home from the pandemic. So, it was a relief to be away from your house, see people, and enjoy the Texas sun. I can appreciate the noise ordinance and not being able to bring pets or glass bottles; however, the number of people at the part took away from the experience. I felt the patrons' appreciation of the spot that is provided, so that makes up for having excess people in the area. And, it was very laid back which makes it a hidden treasure. Next, I will try to visit during a random day to enjoy a day in the sun. Please visit Paradise Canyon! it is a hidden gem in Northwest San Antonio! read more

Entirely too crowded. People are ruining one of nature's beautiful places sadly. Other than that place is legit. Except for the trash everywhere. New ownership could fix both issues. read more

Great place to hang with the family!! We bbq and fished!!! It was very nice, a bit pricey though...$40.... read more

See all

This is probably one of my favorites locations to relax. Went down for the weekend. It's $35 per car, you can pretty much take your own stuff to cook, we just took our cooler with stuff to make sandwiches. We had a little path that can go down the water right away. The water was deep enough where you can float l, canoe, or even just swim. read more

See all

Loved the set up of the picnic tables against the river. We actually had a table in the 600 section and it was perfect...well, until people from other sections kept crossing through ours to get to the river. It was annoying. I wish they had paths that led to the river for people to use. Nothing more aggravating than having an intimate get together with family and friends and have this disrupted by strangers without a care in the world. On top of this, our BBQ grill was damaged. There wasn't a grill top and the concrete was actually falling apart. We had to go to the rental store for a grill. The section we stayed could have used a bit more cleaning. There were bottle caps, floss threaders (gross), and random items that should have been removed before renting out the space. The river itself was nice and cold. There was spring water flowing from the land that fed the river. As mentioned by many, the view of the river against the cliff was incredible. As scary as it was, we witnessed a water moccasin swim it's way from one bank of the river to the next. It's part of nature so it did not phase me. We're the ones invading their territory, right? No music, no pets and no glass gets two thumbs up from me. As much as I adore my dogs and enjoy my music, I can see why having pets can affect other people's enjoyment, more so when dealing with with some irresponsible pet owners. As for the music, not everyone knows what personal enjoyment means. Will I return? Not sure- the jury is out on this. read more

I was very disappointed with the RV spots offered at this campground. The pics are very misleading! We were in 114, and is is basically a straight up hill. It has never taken us 2 hours to get our camper parked and set up. It took both neighbors to help, and we weren't able to use our awning due to the two trees on either side of the camper. The only way we could get close to level was to back up to almost touching the fence, because the front end was so off that even with our jack all the way extended, it wasn't working. Stacked and stacked blocks to make it work. There are plenty of other places in this campground that would have been so much better for RV camping that were level or close to it. By the time we were set up, it was so late, we didn't even cook or get to enjoy ourselves because it was terribly late. We were so nervous the whole time that our camper was gonna fall, and with us being on the fence, the road noise was terrible at night. WIFI shows good signal, however the password they wrote for us on a post it note didn't work on phones or TV. We weren't there to watch TV, but with our phones not getting signal, WIFI would of helped to handle some of our work business. We spent money to get a fishing license before getting there, and there were no fish. We caught a tiny little perch, and didn't even see any others. I think the amount of day campers in the water all day have chased them all out of there, even when we went down there to try and fish at night. The road going into this place is also terrible for people pulling an RV. Potholes galore!! Oh and also, we followed the rules and paid for our dogs to be boarded, and the guy next to us had a dog, even said they told him he could. And we saw people with bikes, after it says online no bikes. I don't understand. We won't go back. I called the place and talked to one of the kids that work there, and he didn't even care that the pics on their site arent even the site we stayed in. Its false advertising. Stay away from here! read more

Awesome park, except they let WAY too many people / cars in! There were literally people double and triple parked because there were no available parking spaces left. We left hours earlier than planned because it was just way too crowded. Saw lots of trash around on the grounds and in the water too. Sad. This place had the potential to be really amazing. read more

Paradise Canyon - Earlier, before it became too crowded. - Parks Near Me - Rio Medina, Texas

See all

It was okay. The water was cold and someone threw their dead fish out and stunk up the place. Cute waterfalls by the dam. You have to make reservations for the picnic table and you can't even drive your car close by so don't bring a bunch of shit because you have to carry it all. They have little trolly things that help but still kinda hard to bbq and stuff. Pretty though. read more

The park was pretty nice and the view was very pretty. However if you plan on camping make sure you get a site away from people or skip camping there all together. The quiet time in the park is supposed to start at 9pm, however the people camping on both sides of our sites were awake with lights and talking and making noise till 2am. Also, most people bring more then one tent which leads to very little space between camp sites. For $63 just to stay one night, I'm going to look somewhere else next time. read more

I never knew this place even existed! What a diamond in the rough! Paradise Canyon is definitely off the beaten path, but it's pretty. You have to pay to enter but they have military discounts. They've got tubes and life jackets available to rent. Heck! They even give you a trash bag for your trash... The park closed at 7 the day we went. Around 6 I started noticing that there were vultures circling the canyon. By 6:30 they were every where. It seems they know when people are going to leave and some people leave their trash, which the buzzards really really like. It's a weird scene. Check Paradise Canyon out. Have some fun in the sun and cool off in the the water. read more

Beautiful place but they are extremely crowded so you really can't enjoy the amenities. Parking is horrible,people fight over parks spots. Everything is over priced.Paid $7.00 for a small bag of ice,$40 to get in, $25 to reserve a table that was actually a walkway for everyone else to get to their tables. They were extremely overbooked. Drunk people starting fights... read more

Love the place. Hate the price. I don't understand why they have to charge $40 a car while there is picnic tables that need replacing.

River is nice, that's why we went. The grounds and staff on the other hand not so good. You get a hefty bill just to enter the place and get assigned a table, our table was literally falling apart so we couldn't sit on it. We asked for a new one but they never brought it. The port a potty looks like it hadn't been cleaned in years, spider webs everywhere and used female napkins in the urinal. Defiantly not worth the cost of entrance. read more

Paradise Canyon - Spiders in the ports John - Parks Near Me - Rio Medina, Texas

See all

This is great place. It provides a great camping experience and the staff is very friendly!

The place is beautiful, but it's a total theft. First, they never answer the phone or returns calls, so we get there and they tell us because our visit will be on weekend, we NEED to paid for a reservation, we paid $50 to book two tables and they sent us a receipt/confirmation. When we arrive to the place it took us an hour and twenty minutes to get in, when we finally got to the registration area (at 11:48 a.m.) we gave the information on the reservation and the employee told us that they did not honored that reservation because was over 11:30 a.m., we was surprised and asked what they talked about, and they told us the reservations are only holding until 11:30 am, and because was 11:48am we need to see if the table still available or find others (if was any available). We was in shock because that information was never informed to us at the time to the reservation or in the confirmation message they sent to us. The employees (teens) working there was unprofessional and don't care at all about the time we expend in the registration line, or about the fact nobody tell us about it! We was all adults and actually all military family, SUPER DISAPPOINTED. We went to the tables area, the numbers 637 and 639, both had people. Our group explained to them, the family on the 637 left us the table since they never made reservations (another lie from the Management), but the family at 639 showed us that they had also BOOK and PAID for the SAME TABLE as us. The reservation process in this place is a total THEFT, no adult, supervisor or professional attended us when we try to request an attention and the teens working there refused to return to us the money. read more

Not the best river park. Was told by a friend that has been there "plenty times" it was $30 once we got got there they told us $40. I was with family expecting to be there till 7 as told. Then their workers come by individually and kick people out by 6!!!! They should've told us this to BEGIN with when we paid! Horrible, Bette off going to Guadalupe river!!!!!! For $5 read more

Paradise Canyon was rather different from other campsites we've been to! The river seeps from a damn up river. There's a lovely strip of primitive campsites down river as well. If you pay close attention you'll find a couple of lazy waterfalls upriver near the dam. If you look under the vegetation that runs along the edge of the river you can find plenty of crawfish! We rode our bicycles all the way down the trail that runs along the river until it ran out and cast our lines there and caught myself my first wide mouth bass (even though it was a small one)!!! There is a large, beautiful cabin that can accommodate an entire family reunion in here! Definitely something to consider! read more

See all

We went during a non peak early spring time frame, and the place was awesome. Probably ramps up with the heat of the summer

Over all everything seemed nice- perfect setup, beautiful view but the water is sooo cold. Ice cold, cold. My nieces and nephews and daughter didn't even want to play in it. So we payed 60-70$ upon entrance to sit at the picnic tables, eat and watch other people play in the water. Which was fine but wish the water wasn't too cold. read more